Foreign Object Impact Analysis–Assisted Certification Studies for On-Demand Mobility Aircraft

AIAA Journal, vol. 63, pp. 2908–2922

Abstract

Aircraft are prone to foreign object damage, particularly bird strikes during takeoff and landing. Modern air taxis are expected to make more frequent stops to serve as viable competition to the current urban transportation system. To ensure safety, all passenger aircraft must meet crashworthiness regulations against foreign object damage such as bird strikes and drone impacts. Given the heightened frequency of stops in urban settings and operating altitudes below 10,000 feet, air taxis are particularly prone to such impacts. This study uses finite element methods to investigate the forces resulting from direct impacts on an on-demand air mobility service aircraft. A bird surrogate, modeled using discrete particles, and a quadcopter drone are used as projectiles. Impact analyses are performed on the canopy, fuselage, and wing of the aircraft. Resulting stresses, displacements, dynamic forces, and energy transfer from the soft and solid body impacts are compared with each other to investigate the post-impact behavior of the aircraft structures.

Authors 4

1. Pradeep Paljibhai Vaghela

   University at Buffalo, State University of New York

   Affiliation as printed

   University at Buffalo—The State University of New York

2. Hassam Raza

   University at Buffalo, State University of New York

   Affiliation as printed

   University at Buffalo—The State University of New York

3. Eike Stumpf Aachen

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen University

4. Javid Bayandor

   University at Buffalo, State University of New York

   Affiliation as printed

   University at Buffalo—The State University of New York